We’ve been catching suspected Internet sex predators for more than three years, exposing men on the hunt for sex with young teens. More than 200 men have been arrested.
After 11 investigations in eight different states, a 117 men have either pleaded guilty or been found guilty by a judge or jury.
Yet there are still men out there willing to take the risk of getting caught. It seems no matter where in America we go, we find men apparently ready to molest young teens.
During our latest investigation in Ocean County, New Jersey, it’s no different. Men familiar with our reports show up anyway. It's a beautiful stretch of beach and a picture-perfect summer vacation spot for parents and children. But it's also for potential predators.
Michael Lubrano: You’re Chris Hansen?Chris Hansen: I am.
One who actually appears happy to meet me...
Jeremy Keister: It’s nice to meet you.Chris Hansen: Thank you. (laughter)
And one not so happy...
Chris Hansen: I’m Chris Hansen with Dateline NBC. Kazuo Akutsu: (Man runs into bar)
And for the first time, men tell our decoy in person what they want to do to her sexually.
Daily: Hold you. Kiss you. Touch you. You know, try to get you excited.James Marcott: A lot of kissing, caressing. (laughs)
We’re operating out of this multi-million dollar house on the Jersey shore. On the top floor, members of Perverted Justice—the online watchdog group which we’ve hired as consultants—are in local chat rooms posing as young teens.
Pibb: It’s so nice outside I want to sit out on the beach.
The Perverted Justice frags have set up profiles of girls and boys ages 12 to 14. Some Perverted Justice members in the house and others on computers across the country are waiting in chat rooms to be hit on by adults. Perverted-Justice says its decoys never make the first contact. Once a man solicits sex, the decoy will agree and invite the man over.
Frag, Perverted-Justice: He should be here within 45.
Waiting in the detached garage are officers from the Ocean County prosecutors office. They have teamed up with Perverted Justice to conduct this operation. Prosecutor Tom Kelaher was open to outside assistance for his computer sex crimes unit.
Tom Kelaher, prosecutor: We only have four people in that unit. And if we could get help—the—met our standards, we’d be happy to work with them and welcome that kind of help.
The prosecutor admits in the beginning he was concerned about working with Perverted Justice.
Kelaher, prosecutor: Well, we had heard some criticism from some—s—official—sources—as a matter of fact. And that’s why at first I was reluctant. But, after we did our due diligence, I was satisfied to go ahead with it.
A total of 11 cameras have been hidden outside. The moment a man drives into the neighborhood, his every move is recorded. As he pulls up to the house, gets out of his car, approaches the door, even if he goes to the front of the house—cameras will be watching. And if he goes into the house another six cameras have been installed inside. We’ve hired 18-year-old Casey to play the part of the young teen home alone.
Decoy: Hey!Stewart: Hey!Decoy: There you are.
She’s five-foot-two and weighs 95 pounds.
Decoy: You want to just go check out the beach first?Stewart: Yeah, sure.
Meet 44-year-old Gregory Stewart, screen name whosurdaddynj. He’s a credit and collections consultant who drove an hour-and-a-half to get here. He thinks Casey is the 13-year-old girl he’s been chatting with online—the girl whose virginity he planned on taking.
(chat transcript)Whosurdaddynj: mmm, once were naked in bed we can do all kindsa stuffDecoy: really? Wat kinda stuff?Whosurdaddynj: rub our bodies together and feel how excited each other are.Decoy: lol ya never gone allway before lolWhosurdaddynj: ill make it nice for you.
The decoy asked "whosurdaddynj" to bring some pizza. He said he’d bring her favorite flavor: Supreme with pineapple.
Decoy: I turned around to walk up the beach, and all of a sudden, I hear him coming a lot faster than he should be. I turn around, and he’s like running up the dune … It looked like he was going to start chasing me, so that almost scared me the most.
But Casey knew that security was close by and ready to protect her. Once they’re sitting, it’s fine. They’re not getting up out of the beach chair. He tells Casey he brought her the presents he mentioned online.
Decoy (hidden camera footage): So you brought pizza?Gregory Stewart: Yeah. The supreme with pineapple.Decoy: Oh, yes. That’s my favorite.
And he brought one more thing.
Decoy: Did you bring the condoms or anything?Stewart: Yeah, I did … They’re in my coat.Decoy: They’re in your coat? Ok … So I see you like younger girls?Stewart: Yeah.Decoy: Yeah?
Now it was time for this consultant to meet someone closer to his own age.
Chris Hansen: What kind of consulting is going on today?Stewart: Nothing.Chris Hansen: Nothing, huh? What’s happening?Stewart: Just getting ready to go.Chris Hansen: What were you doing here though?Stewart: Nothing. I just came down to hang out, that’s all. Chris Hansen: Just to hang out.Stewart: Yeah, I’m not going to do anything I’ll leave, right now.Chris Hansen: How old are you?Stewart: I’m 35.Chris Hansen: 35? You want to try again?Stewart: 44.Chris Hansen: 44.Stewart: Yeah.Chris Hansen: You talk about oral sex with the girl.Stewart: No I—sir—we never—Chris Hansen: Well, no? It’s right here.
It appears whosurdadynj is not familiar with our “To Catch a Predator” broadcasts and thinks I’m with law enforcement.
Stewart: Please don’t arrest me. Please, I swear to god. Please. Chris Hansen: I mean these are your words.Stewart: I know. I’m so embarrassed … Please I’m—please I’m really a good guy. Please, I swear I will never do this again.Chris Hansen: Well why—what’s a good guy doing here trying to—have a sexual liaison with a 13-year-old girl?Stewart: I—I—I don’t know, sir. Chris Hansen: ‘I’d love to feel how warm I can make you feel all over.’Stewart: All right, maybe I have a problem. Maybe I need to go get—go see a psychiatrist, like a counselor. I’m a very lonely guy. I don’t have a girlfriend. I know it’s wrong. Chris Hansen: Well Greg, what do you think ought to happen to you?Stewart: Please, if you let me go, I swear—you can have the—the pizza, whatever I brought down.Chris Hansen: Oh, you’re going to give me the pizza?Stewart: No.Chris Hansen: What a—what a—what a pal you are.Stewart: No, I swear. I’ll go home, I’ll get help.Hansen: I mean you know you could get in trouble for this right?Stewart: I know, I know.Hansen: You know it’s illegal, right?Stewart: Yes, I know … I’m a very religious person. I’m—you know—Chris Hansen: You’re a religious person?Stewart: I am. I’m a very good family person. I’m very close to my family. My mother’s very sick.Chris Hansen: Well why aren’t you hanging out with your mother as opposed to trying to have sex with a 13-year-old girl?Stewart: Right I—I don’t—Chris Hansen: Is that—explain to me how religious that is?Stewart: I know there’s something wrong.
Here’s the part where I tell him I’m Chris Hansen with Dateline NBC and give him a chance to respond.
Stewart: I have nothing else to say.Hansen: Then obviously you’re—you’re free to go.Stewart: Thank you.
Free to go—but not very far. Officers have moved into position and are ready to arrest him.
Del from Perverted Justice hands over the chat logs to the arresting officers.
Cops: Got anything on you?Stewart: What, drugs?Cops: Spread your feet.
The suspect is then taken away in an unmarked car to a local police station and brought in for questioning.
This is just one of the many men who will be arrested here in New Jersey over the next three-and-a-half days.
Dwayne: So, when do I get to see myself on TV?
Our investigation in Ocean County, New Jersey begins with a mad scramble. Our first potential predator arrives much earlier than expected. The police—staked out in the garage for security reasons—are watching monitors that allow them to see everything that’s happening inside and outside the house.
Once our first visitor goes inside, police position themselves near the house, ready to arrest him. And incredibly, another suspect is arriving. He’s also early.
Frag: Slow roller. I think that could be our next guy.
David Russell, 39, is here after making plans online to have sex with a girl who said she was 13.
Frag: Let’s go ahead and let the second guy in if he’ll come in.
Russell walks right past the police hidden near the house and knocks on the door. He gets no answer so he heads towards another door. As he walks past more police, the cops swiftly and quietly arrest him. His online chat—asking for sex with a minor—police say is itself against the law. He doesn’t have to come into the house to commit a crime.
(arrest)
And minutes later, the first suspect leaves the house.
Two visitors in less than ten minutes—it’s our first clue that this operation in New Jersey is going to be busy. And sure enough, here comes another man.
Decoy: Hey. Come on up.Eugene Daily:Not much.Decoy: I was just going to go check the waves. Let’s go.Daily: Okay.
He’s 53-three-year-old Eugene Daily, here to meet a girl who told him she was 13. Online using the screen name double_102000, he tells the girl what he wants to do when they meet.
Double_102000 (chat log): play with uDouble_102000: hold u kiss uDouble_102000: feel uDecoy: kiss me where?Double_102000: all over
He then asks her if she’s game for giving him oral sex. While we usually only have proof of intent in chat logs, for the first time we hear a man tell the decoy face-to-face what he plans to do with her sexually.
Daily: You just relax. And I’ll just take care of everything, okay?Decoy: Uh-huh (affirming).Daily: You just be yourself. I’ll just try to explain as I go. Tell me if you enjoy it.Decoy: But did you like bring a condom or anything? (Unintelligible)Daily: I’m not going to do that today, okay? Daily: It was fast. Rushed. I wasn’t sure if you were real or what. I wasn’t—I’m looking for—police. You know so. (laughter)Decoy: What kind of things did you want to do?Daily: Well, I just—hold you. Kiss you. Touch you. You know, try to get you excited.Decoy: Yeah?Daily: Is that okay?Decoy: Have you like done that kind of stuff before?Daily: Sure, sure.Decoy: Because I haven’t really, you know.Daily: Yeah. I know. Like I said, just—I’ll take it easy on you, that’s all, you know. Decoy: Yeah … I mean, you seem like a nice guy so I’m not worried.Daily: Oh, yeah. I could—I’m not sure. You know, I’m still more—I’m more scared than you are, to be honest.Decoy: What are you scared of?Daily: I don’t know. You know, I still got in the back of my mind you are young. That’s why. And that—I didn’t think you were real, to be honest with you. That’s why—Decoy: You didn’t think I was real? (laughter)Daily: Well, that’s what … you could—you can be anybody in that thing. You could be older and still have a young voice. Decoy: No, I’m real. (laughter)Decoy: Like—like what do you like holding me? (laughter)Daily: It’ll be an experience, it’ll be something you’ll enjoy.
Frag feeds Casey questions in her ear.
Frag: ask him if he wants you to touch him.Decoy: Do you want me to touch you? Daily: You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. Okay? Decoy: If I wanted to (unintelligible)?Daily: If you wanted to. It’s up to you, okay? … Little by little. That’s what baby steps, okay?Decoy: Uh huh.
But this 53-year-old man will not be taking any baby steps today.
Daily: This your father?Chris Hansen: How you doing?Daily: Ok. Are you the police? Chris Hansen: What’s going on? Do me a favor and take your hands out of your pockets. Ok?Daily: Not much.Chris Hansen: What are you up to?Daily: Nothing. Nothing whatsoever.Chris Hansen: That’s not what you just said here?Daily: Yeah, I know. I’m not going to—I knew this was a setup. That’s what I told her. Police. That’s what I said.Chris Hansen: What made you think it was a setup?Daily: It was her. She’s young. I wasn’t going to do anything anyway. That’s—Chris Hansen: You weren’t going to do anything anyway.Daily: No. Chris Hansen: How old are you?Daily: I’m old. 43.Chris Hansen: Forty-three.Daily: I mean, sorry. Fifty-three, sir (unintelligible).Chris Hansen: Fifty-three.Daily: Fifty-three. I’m sorry.Chris Hansen: You said 49. What are you doing chatting with a girl who says she’s 13?Daily: You know, I didn’t believe it. I knew- Chris Hansen: You talk about her being the daughter you never had.Daily: Yeah. You saw that in the chat room, I know … You know, this is embarrassing. This is what I knew what was going to happen. I knew all along this was going to happen. All the way down I kept on saying to mys—Chris Hansen: Then why did you do it? Help me to understand.Daily: I don’t know. I don’t know. You know, I can kick myself in the f---ing head. Because I know …I’m so—I’m so stupid. It’s like—Chris Hansen: You even talk in the chat about you can only come over a half-hour. Because you’ve got to pick up your wife.Daily: Well, yeah. Well, I wasn’t going to—you know, I was saying—Chris Hansen: Where’s your wife?Daily: She’s at work. She’s at work.Chris Hansen: She’s at work. And you’ve got to go pick her up.Daily: I’ve got to go pick her up.Chris Hansen: And who knows. Who knows what. ‘We can do it if it clicks.’Daily: No. Well, yeah. That’s—that’s talking. Hansen: What do you do for a living, Kevin?Daily: I’m real—right now I’m in between jobs. I just got finished working my—my second tour of duty at the post office.Chris Hansen: So you were at the post office.Daily: (unintelligible) Yeah.Chris Hansen: A letter carrier.Daily: Yeah … I knew when I see this stuff on TV. You know, can you—Chris Hansen: So you’ve seen—you’ve seen Dateline’s “To Catch a Predator.”Daily: Yeah. You know what I’m saying? Why—why am I doing this? Why am I here? And I’m saying, oh, man. Am I being taped now too?Chris Hansen: I’m Chris Hansen with Dateline NBC. And we’re doing a story on adults. On men…Daily: Oh, this—this is going to go—Chris Hansen: …who try to meet kids online.Daily: Ah, this is going to go on TV now? Oh, Chris, please. This will ruin me.Chris Hansen: You made the decision to come over here. Daily: I (unintelligible)... I understand. No more cameras please, Chris.Chris Hansen: I can’t keep you here. If you want to go, you can go.
As he leaves the beach, the police coming running towards him.
Daily: Oh, boy. Please, police.Police: Get down on the ground. Down, down, down, down. Down.Daily: Alright. Come on.Police: Down. Down. All the way down.Daily: I’m on my knees. Please, please. Oh, god. Why did I do this? Why why why?
He’s driven away in an unmarked car, and like all the men before and after him, he’s taken to this police station, put in a corrections van... and taken to jail.
And more potential sex predators keep coming and running into each other.
Men are coming from far and wide in hopes of meeting a young teen home alone. During the operation in Ocean County, N.J., they travel from Connecticut, New York state, all over New York City, and Pennsylvania, as well as within New Jersey.
Meet 21-year-old Zigfield Rivera. He drove more than an hour from Staten Island, N.Y., to meet a girl who said she was 13. Using the screen name zigdog2k3 he tells the decoy he's nervous about meeting her.
(chat transcript)Zigdog2k3: I would wanna hang out with u if u keep it a secretDecoy:
Then he asks if she's a virgin. She tells him she is, so he continues.
Zigdog2k3: I was thinkin mayb u could do somethin for meDecoy: um maybeDecoy: like wutZigdog2k3: like suck my c---Decoy: u want me to do that in the car?Zigdog2k3: if u wantDecoy: ya y not
He also tells her he's bringing marijuana.
(hidden camera)Zigfield: Wow, you live in a big house. (laughter)Decoy: Sit down, I made some brownies.
The brownies have been sitting out for more than a day. We didn't realize, but by now they've turned rock hard.
Decoy: So, did you bring the weed?Zigfield: Uh-huh (affirm).Zigfield: You wanna take a drive somewhere?Decoy: Um, I figured we could hang out here for a little bit first, and then (noise) maybe go take a drive if you want … I’m just going to go get something to drink (noise) and then if you want to get everything out and ready -- okay? (noise)
As the decoy walks away, I walk in.
Chris Hansen: So it seemed like you had a little trouble -- why don't you have a seat right there.Hansen: Sir, I’d like to ask you some questions.
He takes off, and as you'll see when the cops grab him, they have a hard time getting him to the ground...the police say they never find marijuana on him or in his car.
Cops: Tell him to get down.Zigfield: Ow.Cops: Relax. Cops: Give him a (unintelligible), give him a second.Cops: Just relax. (unintelligible) Good. Listen.Cops: Just lay down.Cops: Easy, relax.
Our next visitor also talked about bringing marijuana. He's 25-year-old Michael Lubrano, here for a date with a girl he thinks is 14.
Decoy: How are you?Lubrano: Good. How are you?Decoy: Good, how are you?
Online calling himself "icetruckkiller103," he talks about hard-core sex with the decoy before she gives her age. After she says she's 14, he doesn't get too specific about sex. Instead, he leaves the subject open.
(chat transcript)Icetruckkiller103: get high and watch family guy then see where that takes usDecoy: koolDecoy: I kinda like makin out when I smoke up tho...Icetruckkiller103: you got anything on your mind?Icetruckkiller103: :xDecoy: lol u too?Icetruckkiller103: who doesn't
But later, "icetruckkiller103" gets more specific about sex during a phone call. The decoy asks him if he was serious about the hard-core sex and he says "we'll see what happens" and then says "I’m definitely interested. What about you."
(hidden camera)Decoy: You want some brownies, I made some? Michael Lubrano: What'd you dose them?Decoy: What? Lubrano: Did you dose them?Decoy: No. They're really good, I had them before. Did you bring the smoke?Lubrano: (nods head) Should I just roll it up wherever?Decoy: Yeah, let's check it out. Lubrano: Let's check it out.
He wants the decoy to smell the marijuana he brought.
Decoy: Smells good. (laughter) All right. I'm just going to go get something to drink while you finish that up. Okay? You want something?
It seems something about that line gets this man thinking -- perhaps he's heard it before.
Chris Hansen: I want you to just keep your hands right where I can see them, okay? And I want you to sit right down in that -- no, keep your hands -- keep your hands right where I can see them, all right?
Hansen: Okay. What is this right here?Lubrano: Some pot.Chris Hansen: Some pot. And what was your (laughter) plan tonight?Lubrano: Well, come down, you know? … Talk to her.Lubrano: You're Chris Hansen?Chris Hansen: I am. Have you seen this show? You have seen it?Lubrano: I thought you were real funny on “Opie and Anthony.”Chris Hansen: Oh, you -- you listened to me on “Opie and Anthony?”Lubrano: (laughter) Yeah … Can I honestly tell you something?Chris Hansen: Yeah. Lubrano: I was thinking in the back of my mind that I almost wanted this to happen.Hansen: Really?Lubrano: I -- my life's just going to sh*t lately. I -- I really just don't -- you know? (laughter)Chris Hansen: Well, tell me about it.Lubrano: Like -- like look what I did, you know, driving around all hours of the night.Chris Hansen: What do you do?Lubrano: I’m in the waste management business. I'm a dispatcher for roll-off guys.Chris Hansen: And is it-- that's a pretty good job?Lubrano: (laughter) It was … (laughing) f---ing brownie.Chris Hansen: What's so funny about the brownies?Lubrano: Right when I saw the brownies, I knew.Chris Hansen: You knew what?Lubrano: I -- I knew I was going to be running into you.Chris Hansen: I think -- I think this is the first time we've had brownies.Lubrano: I’m kind of chuckling about it just because, you know, I shouldn't--Chris Hansen: So you think it's funny.Lubrano: No, I don't think it's funny. I -- I mean, it -- it's funny how dumb I-- I’m really turning into.Chris Hansen: This girl you were chatting with online is how old?Lubrano: She said 14.Chris Hansen: Fourteen.Lubrano: Yeah.Chris Hansen: And you are how old?Lubrano: I am 25.Chris Hansen: You're 25.Lubrano: Yeah.Hansen: And so you thought that was okay to have this kind of a chat with her? Why?Lubrano: Well, I -- I don't know. Because I can't get a girl.Hansen: Why can't you get a girl? I mean, there's got to be girls your age out there.Lubrano: Yeah, there's girls my age, but I have no self-confidence. Hansen: Now, you seemed nervous about coming over, saying you're going to have to sneak in. What were you so nervous about?Lubrano: (laughter) Running into you. But I -- I guess it doesn't -- you know?Hansen: Uh-huh (affirming). Well, it doesn't -- doesn't seem to do as much--Lubrano: I guess sneaking in was going to --Hansen: -- that doesn't -- that doesn't seem like it was much of a deterrent tonight, now was it? How many times have you seen the show?Lubrano: I’m a religious watcher. I --Hansen: A religious watcher?Lubrano: Well, I watch it whenever I can. Sometimes I go and, you know, hunt out clips on the internet.Hansen: So you watch it on the internet, too?Lubrano: I watch it any way I can. I love it when they play the clips on all the radio shows and --Hansen: Yeah. Did you ever imagine that you'd be featured on one of our shows?Lubrano: (laughter) Is there a hidden camera somewhere?Hansen: Oh, yeah. Yeah, there's a whole bunch of them.Lubrano: Wow.
This religious "To Catch a Predator" fan keeps open the possibility that he might have had sex with a young teen.
Chris Hansen: What do you think would have happened if I wasn't here and you were alone with a 14-year-old girl?Lubrano: I couldn't tell you. I might, you know --Hansen: You might?Lubrano: A guy like me, I might, you know, who knows what I would do.Hansen: Think you'd have sex with her?Lubrano: Probably not. Because any other time I try to have sex with a girl, it goes to s---.Hansen: "So can you bring condoms in case?" "sure. Never leave home without them, right?" Hansen: So you did bring condoms.Lubrano: Well, they're always in my car.Hansen: So you're always prepared.Lubrano: (laughter) I’m always prepared for nothing.Hansen: Well, it doesn't sound like you were expecting nothing tonight … What do you think should happen?Lubrano: I don't know what to tell you, Chris. Hansen: Okay. I mean, is -- I mean, obviously you know who I am.Lubrano: Oh, yeah.Hansen: You know what show this is.Lubrano: Yeah.Hansen: And you know what happens next, right? This is the part where the cameras come out. And for those who don't know who I am who walk in here, I say, "I’m Chris Hansen with Dateline NBC." If there's anything else you want to tell us, we'd like to hear it.Lubrano: No, I’m -- I’m good.Hansen: Okay. I -- I want you to take that with you, though, since that's an illegal substance, all right?
So he reaches into his pocket, gets out his bag and puts the marijuana away.
Lubrano: Cops outside?
Since he already suspects what's waiting for him outside, he takes his time getting ready to leave.
Lubrano: It's going to be a long night. Is that it?Chris Hansen: That's it. All right.Lubrano: Oh, okay.
And just as the man figured, the police are waiting outside.
Cops: Police. Stop.Cops: Hands behind your back.Cops: Behind your back.
As “To Catch a Predator” New Jersey continues, we'll meet men who at first insist someone has set them up...
Rob: I knew it was somebody playing a prank on me.Ernest Timmons: The guy always plays practical jokes on me and everything.Chris Hansen: Really?(arrest)
...later they're brought to tears.
It’s early spring—a few months away from the busy summer season. This house on the Jersey shore would normally still be closed up. Instead, it’s become the destination for potential internet sex predators.
Chris Hansen: This was like a three- to four-million dollar home?Lt. Mike Nevil: Yes.
Lieutenant Mike Nevil has worked in the computer sex crimes unit for the Ocean County prosecutor’s office for the last seven years.
Hansen: And guys were walking in there like they owned it?Lt. Nevil: Yeah … I think people need to understand that it—it doesn’t matter whether it’s a four-million dollar home on the beach—and that was great to prove a point.Lt. Nevil: The location doesn’t matter to these people. It could be a parked car. It could be a hotel. It could be a mall.
But as you’ll see, some are cautious as they pull up to our house.
23-year-old Daniel Figueroa arrived to meet a girl who said she was 14. He walks up to the house, looks around, gets back in his car and drives off. He drives back to the house two more times. The decoy tries to wave him in. He even starts checking mailboxes so he can scope out the house. But after he leaves for a third time...
Cop: I have a tail on him now.
The police arrest him.
Later, Frag spots the vehicle of another man who’s trying to be tricky.
Frag: Oh, is that—no. That’s our target vehicle right there?
He checks out the house and leaves. Then, without telling the decoy, he comes back the next evening. He’s made the one hour trip twice!
He’s 37-year-old Selwyn Knights, here for a date with a 14-year-old.
Decoy: Hi.Selwyn Knights: What’s going on?Decoy: Oh, hi, I didn’t know you were coming.Knights: Yeah.Decoy: Oh, come on in.
But he’s nervous. He sees another car pulling up.
Decoy: Come on in. Just come on in.Knights: Something’s acting all weird there. I’ll be right back.Decoy: Wait. No, just come in. I think you’ll be fine if you come in.
He tells the decoy he’s going to move his truck.
Frag: We feel he’s just going to try and high tail it out of here.
The police follow him and arrest him down the road.
But not every man is cautious...
Frag: Dwayne Chisholm, 29…
Here’s a “To Catch a Predator” first—this man is here to meet a 14-year-old girl, even though he’s been told her parents are home. The plan is for her to slip away when he arrives. He brazenly drives right up to the house and asks the decoy if it’s all clear.
Decoy: Hey!Dwayne Chisolm: How’re you doing?Decoy: Good. How are you?Chisholm: Good.Decoy: I’m glad you could make it.Chisholm: Me, too.Decoy: And guess what, my parents went to the movies.Chisholm: Stop.Decoy: I swear, they’re gone. Come on in.
He’s 29-year-old Dwayne Chisholm, a manager at a gym. He’s been chatting online with a decoy for two weeks. Calling himself lovermangenuis—he spells genius incorrectly—he sends the decoy, who is pretending to be 14, pictures of himself as a body builder.
Decoy: I saw his pictures and I was honestly really scared because he was a body builder he could probably grab me with his hand and squeeze the guts out of me.
Then he sends her pictures of his genitals.
(chat transcript)Lovermangenuis: have you had something that big already?Decoy: not that big.Lovermangenuis: I’ll be you’re a good lover, slow and soft.Decoy: I just hope you like it.Lovermangenuis: and I hope you like it too.
Now "lovermangenuis" is getting comfortable in our beach chair. After only a few minutes of chatting, he wants the decoy to sit on his lap.
Decoy: I’m so glad you came. (laughter)Chisholm: I’m glad too.Decoy: Yeah.Chisholm: Do you want to come on over.Decoy: I want to talk a little first.Chisholm: No problem. That’s fine.Decoy: If that’s okay with you.
That was my cue to step in.
Chris Hansen: Hey, how are you? Chisholm: I’m good. I’m good. How are you?Chris Hansen: What’s happening?
The decoy steps away so I can get better acquainted with 29-year-old "lovermangenuis."
Hansen: The girl you were chatting with online was how old?Chisholm: As far as I know, 14.Chris Hansen: What if you had a 14-year-old sister, how would you feel if some guy came over?Chisholm: Not good.Chris Hansen: You tell her that you want her to masturbate and think of you before she goes to bed. All that is illegal to try to solicit a minor online right and then try and come up and have sex with her. What do you think would have happened tonight, Dwayne, if this 14-year-old girl was open-minded?Chisholm: I don’t know, I mean—I don’t know. I wouldn’t want to say one thing or the other.Chris Hansen: So, you wouldn’t rule out the possibility of you having sex with the girl?Chisholm: I wouldn’t force her to do anything that she would’ve (unintelligible) want to do.Chris Hansen: But here’s the problem. At 14, she cannot legally give consent and that’s why it’s considered in many places statutory rape.Chris Hansen: Well, Dwayne, do you watch much television?Chisholm: A little bit when I have time.Chris Hansen: Do you ever watch Dateline NBC?Chisholm: I guess I’m on it right now, right?Chris Hansen: So, you kind of figured out what’s going on?Chisholm: (laughter) I mean, you hear about it and you sit there and you’re like, “Man, these poor guys like, these guys are such idiots.” And “What are these guys thinking?” and then, you know, and you’re like—you know, you see some guys that’s just like, “Wow, like, these guys are just really, really disturbed.” Chris Hansen: Well, give me a sense of what went on in your mind to make you one of those guys tonight?Chisholm: Just bored and lonely … I mean here’s my thing. I know there’s no excuse. You know, there’s no excuse, you get caught up in a rut. You work 70 hours a week. Life is tough. And you just—Chris Hansen: Yeah, but I still don’t get the link between working hard, having an aggressive job and grooming a 14-year-old girl online to the point where you have a face to face meeting in the hopes of having a sexual liaison.Chisholm: I don’t know. Like I said, there’s no justification for it.Chris Hansen: Well, I’m Chris Hansen with Dateline NBC and we’re doing a story on adults who meet kids online and then try to meet them for sex in person. Chisholm: Wow. I mean—I’m apologetic for—my behavior.
While "lovermangenuis" continues to apologize, another man shows up.
He makes a U-turn, then beeps the horn, looks over, spots our operation and takes off.
Frag: Pennsylvania plates out of Philadelphia. James Erik Santil, 29.
Frag alerts the police. Who send marked cars to pull him over and arrest him. Turns out he’s a school bus driver.
Back at the house, "lovermangenuis" asks an unusual question.
Chisholm: So, when do I get to see myself on TV?Chris Hansen: Well, we haven’t figured all that out yet, we’re still doing the story.Chisholm: I understand. I understand, I’m going to have a whole lot of people that I know seeing it and like, “Oh my god … this guy he helps me out in the gym” … You know. I might have to look for new work.Chris Hansen: Alright. You’re alright?Chisholm: Yeah, I’m alright.
But he probably won’t be alright for long—his trouble has just begun.
(arrest)
Police officer: Alright. Just relax. Put your head (unintelligible)--Police officer: We’re not going to do anything to hurt you.
As “To Catch a Predator” New Jersey continues, there will be more firsts. This man puts our decoy to the marijuana sniff test. And another one seems more worried about how he’s getting home than being caught in our investigation.
Malik Washington: Can you give me a ride home? Because I don’t—Chris Hansen: I can’t give you a ride, sorry.Washington: I have to walk back?
You just never know what kind of an excuse a suspected sex predator will come up with when he’s confronted. A 25-year-old, Robert Graber, described online in graphic detail how he was going to take the virginity of a 13-year-old—now he says it was all a ruse.
Robert Graber: I really wasn’t going to do anything. I was going to come here. I thought it was a prank. And I was going to leave.Chris Hansen: And which one of your friends did you think was pulling this prank?Graber: I don’t know. I have a lot of of people in—(overtalk)Hansen: A lot of practical jokers?Graber: Yes.
And when they are unfamiliar with to “To Catch a Predator,” they usually think I’m with law enforcement.
Graber: Are you a detective?Hansen: I’m not a detective.Graber: Sir, I’m really sorry.And it seems like 25-year-old Robert Graber can’t figure what’s going on.Graber: Sir, are you going to hurt me?Hansen: I’m not going to hurt you?Graber: Is anyone in the house going to hurt me?Hansen: Nobody’s going to hurt you.Graber: Am I going to go to jail?Hansen: That’s not up to me.
And when he finds out he’s going to be on national television...
Hansen: I’m Chris Hansen with Dateline NBC.
He gives some sage advice.
Graber: Do not mess around on-line. It can get you really in trouble. I’m extremely sorry.Hansen: I appreciate that.Graber: And I hope I don’t go to jail or anything. I’m really sorry.
But he will end up in jail tonight.
The police from the Ocean County prosecutor’s office move in and arrest him.
Then comes another suspect-- who will also try to play this as a big misunderstanding.
He’s 33-year-old Ernest Timmons, a mechanic for the United States airforce. Calling himself joketer34, he’s been chatting online about having sex with a girl who tells him she’s thirteen.
Joketer34: What do you want me to do??[decoy]: Whatever u want[decoy]:But I thought u watned the real thing[decoy]: maybe u’re just dinking with my headJoketer34: no I want the real thing Joketer34: I am scared to get caught with a minor [decoy]:
Then the military man asks the decoy for a photo of her breasts.
Timmons comes to the house camera in hand. Online, he told the decoy that he wouldn’t be able to stay for long.
Decoy: Glad you could make it.
No idle chit chat for this man—he wastes no time making it clear he wants to get busy.
Decoy: Come sit down. I made some brownies. Do you want some?Timmons: No thank you.Decoy: Are you sure?Timmons: Yeah. Can we just go upstairs for a little bit?Decoy: Oh, let’s just hang out here for a little bit. Why don’t you sit down?Timmons: Okay I just need to get going here in a little bit. Casey: His eyes were bugging out of his head. So I knew—he was either going to do something really quick or he was just going to take off. Decoy: Weren’t you going to bring me lotion or anything?Timmons: Oh. No, no, I don’t have any.Decoy: Oh. ‘Cause I thought you were going to teach me some stuff, that’s all.Timmons: Is everything okay?Decoy: Yeah, everything’s fine.Chris Hansen (walks out): Actually everything is just fine. But, I need you to have a seat right there for me.Timmons: Yes, sir.Hansen: The camera. Just have a seat please.
Now watch how fast his story changes- from a man appearing eager to take photos of our decoy—to a mere victim of circumstance---
Timmons: My friend told me to come here to take—bring the camera and—Hansen: Your friend told you to come here?Timmons: Yes, sir.Hansen: And who’s your friend?Timmons: A guy named Kevin.Hansen: Kevin? And what’s Kevin’s last name?Timmons: I don’t know. Hansen: How long have you known this friend, Kevin?Timmons: We just met on the base.Hansen: So, you were going to come in and you have your camera ready and you say to the girl who you think is 13-- or your friend thinks is 13--Timmons: I don’t know. Exactly.Hansen: That you wanna run upstairs ‘cause you only have a little bit of time? Hansen: Do you see why this does not make sense?Timmons: Yeah. Yes, sir. I—perfectly—why you think I’m just as stunned as you are? How—Hansen: Oh, you’re stunned because you got caught. That’s why you’re stunned. Hansen: I think you’re telling a big fat lie to me right now.Timmons: I’m not tellin’ you lies, sir.Hansen: Doesn’t make sense.Timmons: I know!
As the airforce mechanic sweats profusely he reveals he’s about to be deployed to Iraq.
Timmons: I leave in about a week and a half.Hansen: And so, you—what? You stop by here for a quickie with a 13-year-old before you went over to Iraq?Timmons: No, sir. I—was a joke.
It turns out the 33-year-old military man is married. His wife’s picture is on the camera.
Hansen: Do you have kids?Timmons: I have kids, yes.Hansen: You have kids? How old’s your kid?Timmons: She’s seven. Hansen: Why would a man in the military with a wife and child at home come hustling nervous into this house with a camera and ask a—a—a—a girl you think is 13 to go upstairs to do what?Timmons: I don’t know.
No matter how implausible the man’s story is, he sticks to it.
Hansen: Oh, here’s something. You seem concerned about seeing those TV shows of people getting caught. Have you watched those shows?Timmons: No, sir.Hansen: ‘Cause you’re about to be on one. I’m Chris Hansen with Dateline NBC and we’re doing a story on adults who try to meet kids online for sex.Timmons: (crying) oh please, sir.Timmons: I was told as a friend to come over. That was it.Hansen: And that’s your story?Timmons: That’s my story.Hansen: And you’re stickin’ to it?Timmons: Yes, sir.
Now we’ll get a chance to tell his story to the police.
And apparently the police don’t buy his story either. After he’s arrested police question him and later he’s brought before a judge who sets his bail at $50,000 dollars.
Judge: Mr. Timmons, your charges are attempted sexual assault and attempted luring. Bail is set at 50,000 no ten.
For three-and-a-half days men have been making the trip to our undercover house—in cars, trucks, even a stolen van...
One man takes a train into town---and then starts walking and keeps walking.
The man in a Spongebob jacket walks about 2 and a half miles right past our street and gets lost. After walking several blocks out of his way- he finally heads in the right direction and hears our decoy calling him.
He’s 27-year-old Malik Washington. He thinks our decoy is the 12-year-old he’s been chatting with online.
Decoy: How was your walk?Malik Washington: It was all right. It was kind of long.Decoy: Yeah. Come on in.
Using the screenname loverboy212x he chats online to the decoy about anal and oral sex. He also tells her he’ll bring a pornographic video. The decoy tells him she’s a virgin and he says I could be your first.
Decoy: So, I’m kind of nervous.
Now that he’s comfortably seated, the decoy tries to find out what he has in mind.
Decoy: Dyou bring the porn for the laptop? Or—Washington: There’s porn on it for you.Decoy: You brought it? Okay. Decoy:Allright, well can you like explain to me like what you think we’re going to do? Washington:First, I was going to get to know you. I wasn’t in a rush to have sex yet. (laughter) unless you in a rush.Decoy: I just wanna know beforehand, you know?Washington: Ask the question. It’ll be easier. What’s it called? What should we do first?Decoy: Yeah.Washington: Well, -- if you say you wanna take breaks and during the breaks you wanna give me head, I should teach you that first.Decoy: Okay.Washington: If you want. It’s up to you.
Listen to how quickly loverboy changes his story when I’m the one sitting across from him.
Chris Hansen: How you doing?Washington: Hello.Hansen: You all right?Washington: Yeah. I’m all right.Hansen:What’s going on?Washington: I’m good.Hansen: What were you planning on doing—this evening?Washington: Oh, nothing much. Just hang out.Hansen: And how old are you?Washington: Me? I’m 17. Hansen: Seventeen. What year were you born?Washington: ‘85 I think? ‘85 I think.
He’s really born in 1980, that makes him 27.
Hansen: I already know.Washington: You know? Oh, okay. (laughter)Hansen: I already know a lot of stuff, actually.Washington: ‘Cause I didn’t wanna get her in trouble. That’s why.Hansen: You didn’t wanna get her in trouble. What about getting you in trouble?Washington: Oh, that, too.Hansen: That, too. Now, you knew this girl was how old?Washington: I think 12 or 13?Hansen: Why did you think it was okay to visit a 12-year-old girl at your age?Washington: Well, first of all, I like to travel. And then—Hansen: You like to travel?Washington: I like to travel. Plus, she wants to hang out, so I don’t mind. And I wasn’t planning on doing anything with her.Hansen: You say things online like “And I’m going to give you anal ‘cause you got a nice ass.” These are your words, right? You ask her, “When are you ready for me to pop that cherry?” I assume that means taking her virginity. Is that true?Washington: All right, lemme ask you a question. Who are you?Hansen: I’ll get to that in a minute.Washington: Are you going to arrest me? For real, tell you the truth, I was not going to do anything with her. Hansen: You sat out here for a good ten minutes, and you had the opportunity to tell her face to face, that you didn’t really wanna do anything. And that’s not what you said, is it, Malik?Washington: Yes, I did. I said—Hansen: No, you didn’t. You said, “we can start first—by talking before we have sex.”Washington: No, I—Hansen: And you told her that you brought the porn.Washington: ‘cause like I ain’t come out here to rape her or kill her or anything. I’m not a bad person.Hansen: Well, you know what? But having sex with a 12-year-old, even if she says yes, is considered rape because—Washington: No.Hansen: --a 12 year old, by the law, cannot consent to having sex. Do you get that?Washington: Oh, I didn’t know that.Hansen: Do you ever watch TVMalik: Sometimes, barely.Hansen: Do you ever hear about that show “to catch a predator”?Washington: Well, I wasn’t trying to be a predator. But—yeah.Hansen: Well, that’s not what your transcript—would suggest. I’m Chris Hansen—Washington: All right.Hansen: --with dateline NBC. And we’re doing a story on adults who try to meet kids for sex online. If there’s anything else you’d like to tell us, we’d like to hear it.Washington: Well, one thing—could I go home?Hansen: You can walk right off this beach. Nothing else you wanna tell us?Washington: No, sir.
Apparently loverboy starts thinking about the long walk back to the train station.
Hansen: You can leave the beach.Washington: Can you give me a ride home? ‘Cause I don’t—Hansen: I can’t give you a ride. I’m sorry.Washington: I have to walk back?Hansen: Well, that’s up to you. But I’m not in a position to give you a ride, though.Washington: Can you—is there any way you can get me a cab?Hansen: I’m not going to be able to do that.
The good news is he won’t have to make that long walk back to the train station. The bad news is he’ll be getting a ride in a police car to jail.
Most of the men arrested tonight have not had a chance to make a plea. Those that did have pled not guilty.
And their are more potential predators on the way, many bearing gifts.
Next week you’ll meet a registered sex offender who drove six hours on his motorcyle hoping for sex with a 14-year-old.
And we’ll end with a bang -- find out what happens to one man after he takes a dive.
Part 2 of "To Catch a Predator" in New Jersey airs Wednesday, July 25 at 10 p.m.